Quick List: Number your paper 1-11. Numbers 1-2: two ways you like to spend your time. Numbers 3-4: two things you like that others might not like. Numbers 5-6: two things that people are talking about. Number 7-8: two TV shows you are watching or books you are reading. Numbers 9-10: two things others like but you don't. Number 11: Anything on your mind. Star the items you are ready to write about.
Schedule of My Day (from Donald Graves): Jot down what you did on a recent day, including the approximate times. Mark "A" beside each topic that you have an opinion about or could find an argument about.
Writing Sprints: Look at your lists; select a topic to write about. Write for a quick sprint of 1-2 minutes. (Leave space on the page if you think you might return to the writing later.) Select another topic with another sprint. Try a third sprint.
Writing Territories (from Nanci Atwell) are the lists of topics you could possibly write about. Atwell provides many broad topics including memories, obsessions, problems, accomplishments, fears, failures, worries, friends then and now, favorites. Write some specific ideas under the broad headlines in order to develop some quick lists. Code the list with "A" for topics that lend themselves to argument writing.
Making Claims at a Glance: Use photos as text. This strategy helps students see themselves as observers of the world, generates thoughts around a topic, and demonstrates how quickly we form opinions. Take one minute to observe the photo and two minutes to write about a claim that can be made about the image.
Stop and Jot: a critical thinking strategy. Place three colored dots at approximately one-fourth intervals in the text. Read to the first dot and pause to jot about your reaction to the text. Continue reading, pausing, and writing.
Looping: (from Peter Elbow) Read over free-writing piece. Find a word, phrase, or line that is interesting. Write it at the top of a new page. Write ONLY from that word or phrase. Push for the surprise.
Plus/Delta -- Plus: What specifically SUPPORTED your learning today? Delta: What CHANGES might better support your learning? Place responses on a poster.
How to Adapt a Digital Text
To lower the reading level of any text, copy and paste it into a Word document.
Then go to File-Options-Proofing and select "readability."
When you run spell-check/grammar-check, the Flesch Readability rating will be calculated.
Shorten sentences and simplify complex descriptions and syntax. Re-run spell-check to see if you have reduced the text to the level you need.
If not, take another pass. Breaking up paragraphs can also reduce the reading level.
Mini-Unit: Making Informal Arguments--Reality TV All the text materials and the mini-unit instructions can be found at this link.
Formative Assessment
How to Adapt a Digital Text
Where can I find additional texts on my topic?
They Say, I Say Templates